


Non-date dates

by RiTheBiGuy_RileyTMR



Category: The Good Doctor (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:01:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29642715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiTheBiGuy_RileyTMR/pseuds/RiTheBiGuy_RileyTMR
Summary: “Walking with someone you like who likes you too is a non-date date”A collection of times where Claire Browne and Neil Melendez have been on non-date dates.
Relationships: Claire Browne/Neil Melendez
Comments: 8
Kudos: 19





	Non-date dates

“Bullseye!” Claire shouted as she went to collect her darts from the board.

“I’d be impressed if the other two weren’t in double 1 and the wall,” Neil replied, a smug look on his face.

“I’m just going easy on you, making sure your ego stays suitably fuelled,” the younger doctor teased.

“So you going easy on me is me only needing a double 5 and you still needing 120 points?” 

“Exactly,” Claire replied, “so then next game I can thrash you and you won’t feel too bad about it.”

“Good luck with that,” Neil responded, throwing his first dart and getting exactly what he needed, “oh, looks like I won,” he turned and looked at Claire with a grin on his face, “looks like you’ve got to buy the next round.”

“Okay Melendez, I can do that, but the next round will be on you when I kick your ass,” she smiled sweetly at him and he chucked.

“Whatever you say, Browne,” he shot back as she went over to the bar. Neil grabbed his dart out of the board and wiped the blackboard clean, before going back to the spot they were throwing from and waiting for Claire.

“Here you go,” she said, putting the beers down on the small table next to them.

“Thank you,” he replied, picking one up and taking a swig, “you ready to kick my ass now?” 

“You bet,” she replied. She threw her first dart, getting it in the number three and Neil chuckled slightly, “I meant to do that,” she said.

“Of course you did,” he responded. She rolled her eyes and threw again, this time hitting one, “you know triple 20 is the best one to get?” 

“You’re a brave man Neil Melendez, taking the piss out of a woman holding a sharp object in her hand,” she retorted and he laughed.

“Noted,” Claire threw her next dart and hit 20, “well that ones an improvement,” the young woman looked over to her mentor after his sarcastic remark.

“I’m just warming up,” she replied.

“Wasn’t that what the last game was for?” Neil responded, stepping up to the line as she came backs from picking up her darts. She stopped as she walked past him.

“Don’t worry Neil, I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve,” she half whispered before winking at him, Neil laughed slightly.

“Can’t wait to see them,” he replied. He got ready to throw his first dart and as he was about to throw it when-

“Oh my God!” Claire said loudly, causing Neil to look at her as he threw and his dart landed into the edge of the board.

“What?” He asked her, confused.

“Oh nothing,” she said back, “but it looks like you missed,” he looked back at the board before turning to her and raising an eyebrow.

“Real mature,” he quipped.

“Thank you,” she replied nicely. He rolled his eyes and threw his next two darts, getting a score of 80.

“Even with two darts I got a higher score than you,” he commented as he got his darts.

“Even with two darts I got a higher score than you,” she repeated in a mocking tone.

“Like I said, mature,” he shot back and they both grinned at each other. They continued their game, Neil winning again by quite a lot, before heading to the bar.

“Guess this is my round again,” Claire muttered, pulling out her purse when the barman put their drinks down.

“Well, it was your suggestion that the loser pays,” Neil replied with a shrug.

“Okay then, I’ll get these, but then we’ll play some pool, and trust me, you’ll be getting the next round,” she responded.

“Is that a promise?” He asked.

“Yep, I’m awful at darts but I will wipe the floor with you at pool,” she told him.

A pint of beer and a whole game of pool later, Neil realised that she wasn’t kidding when she pocketed her last ball and he stood there stunned as he saw that she did indeed wipe the floor with him.

“Okay, so darts and bowling need to be suggested more often,” Neil said, “but pool is a never again.”

“What’s the matter? Don’t like losing?” She teased him.

“Claire, I didn’t just lose, you nearly cleared that whole table in one go, I hardly even played,” he replied.

“What’s that, there is something that the Neil Melendez can’t beat me at?” She mocked. 

“Apparently so,” he chuckled, “guess I better get the next round,” he headed to the bar and swapped their empty glasses for full ones. He went back over to her and handed a glass to her.

“Want to play again?” She asked.

“Not really,” he laughed, “how about we finish these and go get some fresh air?” 

“Sounds good to me,” she replied. They both drank their beers, talking about a surgery that they had that week, before grabbing their coats and heading outside. 

“We should do that again,” Neill said as they walked down the street, “despite losing at pool I enjoyed kicking your ass at darts.”

“Yeah, I had a good time, maybe next time we can play more than one game of pool before you quit,” she replied.

“I would have played another game but it was too hot in there and stuffy,” he told her.

“Sure thing,” she said. He nudged her slightly when she said this and she giggled.

“It’s true, plus there’s a full moon tonight and I wanted to see it,” he looked up at the sky and Claire couldn’t help but notice how good he looked in the moonlight. She caught herself staring and quickly looked up to the moon before he noticed.

“It is beautiful,” she agreed, he looked over to her, admiring the way she looked; amazed and beautiful.

“Yes it is,” he agreed, still looking at her. She looked over to him and smiled, “well we better get going, it’s starting to get late,” Neil said, looking at his watch.

“Yeah, I got a taxi here so I better call them,” Claire said.

“So did I,” Neil replied, “we could share a taxi if you want?”

“Sure,” Claire smiled. She made the call and they headed back to the bar, minutes later a taxi pulled up and they both got in, they gave their addresses, agreeing to drop Claire off first as she was closest.

The ride was fairly quiet as they sat there just enjoying each other’s company. The car pulled up outside of Claire’s apartment and she went to get out.

“Claire,” Neil said, stopping her, “are you busy on Friday night?” He asked.

“Not that I’m aware of,” she replied, “why?”

“I got two tickets to a concert for my birthday from my mom, I don’t really know the band that well but I know you like music so I didn’t know if you wanted to go?” He asked.

“Your mom got you two tickets for a band you don’t know?” She questioned.

“Yeah,” he chuckled nervously, “I don’t really see her much and she wasn’t too sure what to get me, but I don’t mind, I’m sure it will be a good concert, especially if you’re there with me,” Claire hoped he couldn’t see the blush that was now on her face.

“Sure,” she smiled.

“Great,” he said, “I’ll pick you up at 7.”

“Sounds good,” she replied, before getting out of the taxi and heading to the her door, suddenly looking forward to the end of the week.


End file.
